SearXNG: what is it and how does this open source metasearch engine work?
When we think of search engines, Google or Bing usually come to mind. However, there are alternatives focused on privacy, transparency, and open source development. Among them, SearXNG stands out—not as a traditional search engine, but as a metasearch engine.
Instead of building its own web index, SearXNG queries multiple engines in real time, such as Google, Bing, DuckDuckGo, Wikipedia, or even YouTube, and aggregates results into a single interface.
But how exactly does it work? Does SearXNG store search results? Does it require paid API keys to function? And most importantly, why do users choose SearXNG over Google or even paid alternatives like Kagi?
SearXNG: An Open Source Metasearch Engine for Privacy and Control
SearXNG is available on GitHub and is a fork of the original Searx project. It’s developed and maintained by an active open source community. Unlike traditional search engines, SearXNG is free, customizable, and open to contributions.
- Metasearch engine – Sends your query to multiple configured engines and merges the results.
- Open source software – Anyone can audit the code, contribute, or host their own instance.
- Privacy-first – No personal data collection, no ads, no profiling.
This makes it a perfect tool for users who value online privacy and want to regain control over their searches. For developers, tech enthusiasts, and tinkerers, it’s also an excellent solution to integrate with other open source tools.
SearXNG can even be combined with frameworks like Local Deep Research or LLM-powered search assistants to perform advanced research across the web.
Does SearXNG Store Search Results?
This is a common question, especially for users who deploy SearXNG with Docker: does it keep track of my searches? The answer is simple: no.
SearXNG does not build an index, store results, or save history. For every query:
- The user types a search.
- SearXNG queries the configured engines (Google, Bing, etc.).
- Results are aggregated in real time.
- They are displayed on screen and disappear once the page is closed.
In a Docker container, the process is identical. SearXNG simply acts as a gateway, it does not create any internal database containing your queries.
That said, it is possible to enable a temporary cache in settings.yml to speed up repeated queries. Even then, this cache is limited and doesn’t represent long-term storage.
Does SearXNG Index the Web Like Google or Bing?
No—and that’s the key difference. Google and Bing run crawlers that continuously scan the web to build massive indexes.
SearXNG, on the other hand, does not crawl. It relies entirely on the search engines it queries. This is why it doesn’t need giant data centers to operate, it acts as an intermediary layer.
To sum it up:
- Google = proprietary engine with its own index.
- Bing = same principle.
- DuckDuckGo = partly Bing-based + additional sources.
- SearXNG = no index, only aggregation.
Why Doesn’t SearXNG Require Paid API Keys?
This is another aspect that surprises many users: how can SearXNG query Google or Bing without official (paid) API keys?
It works thanks to two mechanisms:
1. HTML Scraping
- SearXNG sends a request as if it were a browser.
- It retrieves the HTML page (e.g., Google results).
- It parses and extracts the relevant links.
- No API key is required.
2. Free Public APIs
Some sources—like Wikipedia, Reddit, or open data repositories—offer free APIs. SearXNG can use them directly.
Paid API keys are optional. If you want more reliable access to Google or Bing, you can add them in settings.yml. But by default, SearXNG works without.
⚠️ Note: some engines may throttle or block requests if traffic is too high, especially Google. That’s why administrators of public SearXNG instances often disable Google or Bing to avoid captchas or restrictions.
Going Further with SearXNG
- Comparison: Can Free SearXNG Compete with Paid Kagi?
- Step-by-Step Guide: Configure SearXNG Like Kagi (Docker, settings.yml)
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